@Holte
Glad it's working out so far. Would like to hear about your experience doing LC1 and Ennead (when you finish it).
For merc gear, tbh, I just give my merc whatever decent Rares I find early on. As Covela said, anything with +Skills and FCR, as well as the appropriate Spell Damage and -Enemy Res.
If you wanted something more, the easiest thing is probably just Honorifics orbed with +LSD (Abjurer) or +FSD (Bloodmage). Put some FCR on the weapon, ED/TCD and MF on the armor, and any remaining space can be filled with FHR or Reanimate Skeleton. It'll cost more gold, but it's better in the long run b/c you're not wasting ACs to uptier merc TUs.
Some decent TUs are
The Ivory Tower
The Ivory Tower
Tower Shield (4)
Defense: (205 - 233) to (404 - 459)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 7
Required Strength: 17
Required Dexterity: 43
Item Level: 19
+1 to All Skills
+(4 to 5)% Bonus to Spell Focus
5% Cast Speed
+(11 to 15)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(11 to 15)% to Lightning Spell Damage
+(41 to 60)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Mana +(3 to 5)%
Requirements -40%
Socketed (1)
Defense: (678 - 712) to (1219 - 1280)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 25
Required Strength: 31
Required Dexterity: 58
Item Level: 36
+(1 to 2) to All Skills
+(8 to 9)% Bonus to Spell Focus
10% Cast Speed
+(16 to 20)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(16 to 20)% to Lightning Spell Damage
+(81 to 90)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Mana +(9 to 11)%
Requirements -45%
Socketed (3)
Defense: (1525 - 1593) to (2685 - 2805)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 42
Required Strength: 101
Required Dexterity: 113
Item Level: 59
+2 to All Skills
+(12 to 13)% Bonus to Spell Focus
15% Cast Speed
+(21 to 25)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(21 to 25)% to Lightning Spell Damage
+(101 to 110)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Mana +(15 to 17)%
Requirements -50%
Socketed (4)
Defense: (2278 - 2371) to (4002 - 4165)
Chance to Block: Class%
Required Level: 51
Required Strength: 181
Required Dexterity: 210
Item Level: 85
+2 to All Skills
+(14 to 15)% Bonus to Spell Focus
15% Cast Speed
+(26 to 30)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(26 to 30)% to Lightning Spell Damage
+(121 to 130)% Enhanced Defense
Maximum Mana +(18 to 20)%
Requirements -55%
Socketed (4)
,
Moonwrap
Moonwrap
Sash (4)
Defense: (16 - 18) to (20 - 21)
Required Level: 1
Required Strength: 25
Item Level: 1
5% Cast Speed
+3% to Spell Damage
+(18 to 29)% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +(11 to 15)%
Cold Resist +(11 to 15)%
Socketed (1)
Defense: (119 - 129) to (131 - 141)
Required Level: 17
Required Strength: 50
Item Level: 31
15% Cast Speed
+9% to Spell Damage
+(41 to 52)% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +(21 to 25)%
Cold Resist +(21 to 25)%
Socketed (2)
Defense: (331 - 353) to (370 - 395)
Required Level: 35
Required Strength: 125
Item Level: 51
25% Cast Speed
+15% to Spell Damage
+(64 to 75)% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +(31 to 35)%
Cold Resist +(31 to 35)%
Socketed (2)
Defense: (493 - 524) to (542 - 576)
Required Level: 43
Required Strength: 250
Item Level: 77
30% Cast Speed
+20% to Spell Damage
+(75 to 86)% Enhanced Defense
Lightning Resist +(36 to 40)%
Cold Resist +(36 to 40)%
Socketed (2)
, and
Aerin Orbiter
Aerin Orbiter
Belt (4)
Defense: (88 - 96) to (121 - 132)
Required Level: 5
Required Strength: 28
Item Level: 10
5% Cast Speed
+(4 to 5)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(4 to 5)% to Lightning Spell Damage
+(4 to 5)% to Cold Spell Damage
+(18 to 29)% Enhanced Defense
+(11 to 15) to Energy
Elemental Resists +(3 to 5)%
Elemental/Magic Damage Reduced by (3 to 5)
Socketed (1)
Defense: (310 - 334) to (389 - 419)
Required Level: 22
Required Strength: 56
Item Level: 31
15% Cast Speed
+(8 to 9)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(8 to 9)% to Lightning Spell Damage
+(8 to 9)% to Cold Spell Damage
+(41 to 52)% Enhanced Defense
+(21 to 25) to Energy
Elemental Resists +(9 to 11)%
Elemental/Magic Damage Reduced by (9 to 11)
Socketed (2)
Defense: (754 - 805) to (938 - 1001)
Required Level: 40
Required Strength: 201
Item Level: 51
25% Cast Speed
+(12 to 13)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(12 to 13)% to Lightning Spell Damage
+(12 to 13)% to Cold Spell Damage
+(64 to 75)% Enhanced Defense
+(31 to 35) to Energy
Elemental Resists +(15 to 17)%
Elemental/Magic Damage Reduced by (15 to 17)
Socketed (2)
Defense: (1104 - 1173) to (1358 - 1443)
Required Level: 48
Required Strength: 402
Item Level: 77
30% Cast Speed
+(14 to 15)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(14 to 15)% to Lightning Spell Damage
+(14 to 15)% to Cold Spell Damage
+(75 to 86)% Enhanced Defense
+(36 to 40) to Energy
Elemental Resists +(18 to 20)%
Elemental/Magic Damage Reduced by (18 to 20)
Socketed (2)
. And
Wake of Destruction
Wake of Destruction
Greaves (4)
Defense: (90 - 102) to (135 - 152)
Required Level: 9
Required Strength: 17
Item Level: 19
+(4 to 6)% Bonus to Spell Focus
(10 to 40)% Movement Speed
+(11 to 13)% to Physical/Magic Spell Damage
+(6 to 8)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(6 to 8)% to Poison Spell Damage
+(24 to 40)% Enhanced Defense
+(21 to 25) to Energy
Requirements -20%
Socketed (1)
Defense: (333 - 369) to (462 - 512)
Required Level: 27
Required Strength: 33
Item Level: 36
+(7 to 9)% Bonus to Spell Focus
(10 to 40)% Movement Speed
+(15 to 17)% to Physical/Magic Spell Damage
+(10 to 12)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(10 to 12)% to Poison Spell Damage
+(58 to 75)% Enhanced Defense
+(26 to 30) to Energy
Requirements -25%
Socketed (2)
Defense: (854 - 930) to (1152 - 1254)
Required Level: 44
Required Strength: 158
Item Level: 59
+(10 to 12)% Bonus to Spell Focus
(10 to 40)% Movement Speed
+(19 to 21)% to Physical/Magic Spell Damage
+(14 to 16)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(14 to 16)% to Poison Spell Damage
+(92 to 109)% Enhanced Defense
+(31 to 35) to Energy
Requirements -30%
Socketed (3)
Defense: (1274 - 1378) to (1713 - 1853)
Required Level: 52
Required Strength: 272
Item Level: 85
+(13 to 15)% Bonus to Spell Focus
(10 to 40)% Movement Speed
+(23 to 25)% to Physical/Magic Spell Damage
+(18 to 20)% to Fire Spell Damage
+(18 to 20)% to Poison Spell Damage
+(109 to 126)% Enhanced Defense
+(36 to 40) to Energy
Requirements -40%
Socketed (4)
is ok for a Bloodmage.
For RWs,
Lumen Arcana
Lumen Arcana
Body Armors
'Ith'
Runeword Level: 18
+1 to All Skills
-(3 to 8)% to Enemy Fire Resistance
-(3 to 8)% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
-(3 to 8)% to Enemy Cold Resistance
-(3 to 8)% to Enemy Poison Resistance
+(25 to 50)% Enhanced Defense
+2 to Light Radius
is fine early on, and
Iblis
Iblis
Gloves
'TyrSur'
Runeword Level: 90
+40 Spell Focus if Sanguine Covenant is Active
+10% Maximum Mana if Solar Flare is Active
+(37 to 42)% to Fire Spell Damage
(25 to 35)% to Energy
Regenerate Mana +(10 to 15)%
Fire Absorb 4%
+10 to Light Radius
and
Ra
Ra
Helms
'ShaelThul'
Runeword Level: 35
Living Flame Gives +1% Fire Spell Damage per 8 Character Levels
+1 to All Skills
+10% Bonus to Poison Skill Duration
35% Cast Speed
-(7 to 10)% to Enemy Fire Resistance
-(7 to 10)% to Enemy Poison Resistance
Attacker Flees after Striking (11 to 15)%
Cold Resist +25%
Poison Resist +25%
(7 to 13)% Gold Find
7% Magic Find
can be useful for a Bloodmage.